EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: The Mandalorian and Grogu star Johnny Coyne talks about his Star Wars villain
(LR) Lord Janu (Johnny Coyne) and Hogsbret (Matthew Willig) in Lucasfilm's The Mandalorian and Grogu.
Ever since Darth Vader walked the halls of Tantive IV in the original Star Wars, some of cinema's most iconic and instantly recognizable villains have appeared in a galaxy far, far away. This summer saw the release ofThe Mandalorian and Groguin theaters, marking the return of Star Wars to the big screen after a seven-year hiatus and the big screen debut of a new type of villain from theStar Warsuniverse.
HoloFilesandStar Wars Holocronrecently had the opportunity to interview Johnny Coyne, who plays Lord Janu Coyne inThe Mandalorian and Groguseries, about his experiences work on a new film, the history of the creation of a character whose name is so similar to his own, plans to participate inThe Mandalorian Season 4andThe Book of Boba Fettand much more.
Johnny Coyne, a graduate of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, arrives in a galaxy far, far away with an impressive filmography of television and film. After roles in various British television series, Coyne moved across the Atlantic and starred in films such asPreacher,The Blacklist, Alcatraz, Turn: Washington's Spies, Gotham, 11.22.63, The Night OfandTwin Peaks
In 2023, Coyne joined the wider Star Wars universe, appearing as an unnamed Imperial warlord in Episode 23 of Season 3 ofThe Mandalorian: "Spies." Coyne's appearance was brief, so the confirmation that he would play one of the main characters inThe Mandalorian and Grogu's move to the big screen came as a bit of a surprise.An even bigger surprise was that Coyne played one of the film's main antagonists.
In our interview, Coyne reflected on how such a prominent role in a big-budget Star Wars film could impact his future. “I’ve never had any expectations for anything in my career,” Coyne said. “I always worked with my head down and tried to do as much as possible, as often as possible, doing as many different things as possible. There's a lot of talk about how being in Star Wars will somehow take you to the next level. I don't think that's necessarily the case. Especially for people like me, representatives of the older generation. If something happens after that, that's okay. But all I know is that I've been an actor for over 40 years, I've done a lot of varied work, and I'm very proud of a lot of it, although I have some disdain for it. We just keep working and if something good comes out of it, that's great. All I know is that I starred in the Star Wars movie. You know, not everyone can boast of this.”
Coyne said that The Mandalorian creator Jon Favreau had been planning his character for a long time, since filming the third season in 2021. While filming the third season, Coyne said, "Jon Favreau told me and pulled me aside and said, 'Okay, we have a lot of things planned for you.'
One of the tasks facing Coyne's character was to give it a name. But not a simple name. Coyne soon learned that he would have a rare achievement in the Star Warsuniverse: he would play a character whose name was a variation of his own. For example, Ahmed Best played Ahk Med-Bek inAttack of the Clones .Ralph McQuarrie played rebel officer Farl McQuarrie inThe Empire Strikes BackAnd now Johnny Coyne plays Jana Coyne inThe Mandalorian and Grogu
Coyne explained that Favreau approached him on the set of The Mandalorian and said, “We’d like to use your name somehow. He said, "Probably something like Commander Coyne," and I said, "Okay, that's interesting. Pretty good. I like it." And to be honest, when I first came to Los Angeles, I had a group of friends, American friends, who gave each other nicknames, and my nickname, coincidentally, was Commander Coyne."
Favreau had grand plans for the warlord Commander Coyne, using his brief appearance in Season 3 as the basis for subsequent appearances in Season 4 of The Mandalorian and possibly Season 2 of The Book of Boba Fett. “It was part of the deal,” Coyne explained. “They said, 'We'd like you to do it in three or four episodes, and we're considering using one of those episodes forBoba Fett'. And that's all I got from them."
Coyne's comments are striking because they confirm that Favreau and Lucasfilm at one point considered making a second season of The Book of Boba FettThe first season, released in 2021 and ending in 2022, was met with mixed reception. Boba Fett has yet to appear in a movie. However, there appear to have been talks behind the scenes about what the second chapter ofThe Book of Boba Fett might look like.
Unlike many big-budget blockbusters that undergo extensive reshoots, The Mandalorian and Grogu did not appear to have excessive post-production work, at least not for Coyne's scenes.“Nothing was cut from my scenes,” Coyne said.
Janu Coyne is the latest in a long line of smooth-talking and calculating Imperial villains who have tormented the protagonists of the Star Wars stories. Moff Tarkin, played by Peter Cushing, posed a serious threat to Princess Leia and the Rebels in A New Hope. Director Krennic, played by Ben Mendelsohn, defended the interests of the Empire in both Rogue One and Andor. Grand Admiral Thrawn, played by Lars Mikkelsen, plagues characters like Ahsoka and Ezra as he tries to restore the Empire.
Interestingly, Coyne said that he did not look to other actors who played Imperial leaders in previous Star Wars projects. “I don’t see myself being one of them,” Coyne said. “I consider myself just another actor who got lucky. I didn't rely on any of these guys to create my character."
Coyne continued to tell a story that lifts the curtain on his acting philosophy. “I think I was talking to an actress friend of mine one day who was struggling with a role, and she said, 'I don't know what they want from me.' And I had to formulate an answer for her when she wrote me this question. And while I was formulating an answer, I realized that this is exactly what I was doing. I told her, “Listen, you were cast because you have a special personality. You have a quality they want to use. I don't think you need to come in there lame or twitching or anything like that. You are the entity they hired, so just do what you know how to do, deliver the lines the way you know how to say them, with the honesty that is required, and that's what they pay for. And that in itself will be unique, because you are a unique person.”
In the final scene of The Mandalorian and Grogu, Coin is brought before Colonel Ward, played by Sigourney Weaver, and is arrested by the New Republic. Coyne suggested that this won't be the last time we see Jana Coyne. “I would like to think that John left open the possibility of my return, or that such a possibility exists,” Coyne noted. “I think it's more true to reality than just a comeback. There is such a possibility. We can use Johnny if there is a second season [of "The Mandalorian and Grogu"]. And why kill someone we like? Maybe we'll use it for something else.”
When talking to Coyne, it's striking how level-headed he is. The same man who just had a prominent role in the feature filmStar Warsand who, in the words of Jon Favreau, “can sign your name for the rest of his life,” approaches the acting profession and the film industry in general with admirable humility and sincerity.
When Coyne was asked what advice he would give to other actors hoping to break into the industry, he offered some moving words. “Look, just put your head down and keep working despite the tough times,” he said. - And there are many difficult times. Just keep working. Take what you can while you can... Just love what you do and if you stop loving it, here's the door. Just leave. I mean, you have to love it because it's a miserable life when you're not, when you're not making money and not doing what you love."
Despite how villainous he looks on screen in the roles of Janu Coyne in theThe Mandalorian and Grogu series, Johnny Coyne is nothing like them.The English actor, whose filmography is vast, varied and growing, has just joined the ranks of two of pop culture's most beloved figures and shows no signs of stopping.
Watch the full interview with The Mandalorian and Grogustar Johnny Coyne below